Library Updates

Tuesday, March 25th 7:30 p.m.
Hailed as the “Martha Stewart Of Green Cleaning”, Leslie Reichert is a cleaning expert that uses her sparkling personality, great sense of humor and contagious passion to encourage her fans and followers to think differently about their cleaning products. Leslie Reichert is known as a Green Cleaning Coach and she is changing the world – “one spray bottle at a time”. She is a national lecturer, a frequent homekeeping expert on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Kmart’s Cleaning Expert and author of the book: The Joy Of Green Cleaning- a handbook for DIY cleaners.
She has been published in Real Simple, This Old House, Fit Magazine, Shape Magazine, Woman’s Day, Woman’s World, Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies Home Journal, USA Today, Huffington Post and many more.
Using a cooking show format, Leslie will demonstrate how to mix up your own cleaners and will give participants samples to take home and try.

This workshop is sponsored by the Friends of the Grafton Public Library. Please register for this program by calling 508-839-4649 or by emailing graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com.

On Tuesday April 8, the Grafton Public Library will join libraries across the Commonwealth and the nation to provide a “snapshot” of what happens in a day in the life of libraries. How many books are checked out? How many people receive help finding a job? Doing their taxes? Doing their homework? During Snapshot Day, libraries will collect data and photos that help demonstrate the value of libraries and raise public awareness that libraries are busier than ever.

Coincidentally, Snapshot Day coincides with Pajama Day at the Library. Staff will be in PJs to promote the new Tuesday evening PJ Storytime that starts at 6:15 pm.

“We’re looking forward to a fun, busy day that helps us show how much our residents use their library,” said Gallaway. Busy days are the norm at libraries across the state. Over the past decade, libraries in Massachusetts have experienced a dramatic surge in usage, including a 50% increase in library visits and a 29% increase in circulation. In 2012 Grafton attendance was down due to the Library closure during the ADA renovation, but in 2013, program attendance increased by 52%, the number of reference questions increased by 140%, and circulation increased by 7%, compared to 2012.

Everyone can participate! We’ll have a photo release on hand for those will allow us to document their library use. Patrons can also use twitter #snapmass14 to post comments about the ways they use the Library, even if they aren’t physically in the library on April 8, said Beth Gallaway, Library Director. Don’t forget to follow @graftonpublib on Twitter!

Nationally, Snapshot Day is supported by the American Library Association, which will
compile state data to provide a national perspective of a day in the life of libraries.
Massachusetts Library Snapshot Day is presented by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Massachusetts Regional Library System, the Massachusetts Library Association, the Massachusetts School Library Association, and Boston Public Library.
Visit mass.gov/libraries or contact for more information; for more details about Snapshot Day in Grafton, please contact Beth Gallaway, Library Director, at 508-839-4649 or by email at graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com

This newspaper database has 24 years of searchable archives and includes current articles from the most current issue. Browse by issue, or search by keyword! All articles are full text; no graphics or photos are included.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the largest newspaper in Central Massachusetts, covers Worcester County, as well as surrounding areas of the western suburbs of Boston, Western Massachusetts and several towns in northeastern Connecticut.

Other local libraries are partners in the grant, and Grafton residents can also access the T&G in Auburn, Bellingham, Grafton, Holden, Hudson, Marlborough, Millbury, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Westborough and West Boylston. The grant covers 75% of the cost in 2014, 50% in 2015, and the Library will budget for it in 2016 and beyond.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for our Open House and Fundraiser, For the Love of Books, on Friday February 7! Our generous benefactors purchased 25 books, and raised $1000.00 for the Library.

If you missed the event, books are still on display and available for purchase; see a staff member for details.

Book prices range from $20-$150; proceeds benefit the Friends of the Grafton Public Library, who support the Library by funding materials, services and initiatives not covered by the Town’s budget.

The Grafton Public Library is proud to be part of Grafton Celebrates the Holidays and is very pleased to host musician David Polansky in concert, Sunday, December 8th at 3:00 p.m. at 35 Grafton Common. David Polansky’s music is frequently humorous, sometimes serious, and always clever and engaging. Join us for a concert of holiday tunes and be prepared to sing!

The library will also be open from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. for cocoa and candy canes, letter writing to Santa, and story times read by one of Santa’s Elves. Be sure to leave time to follow our first-ever Storywalk, that starts and ends at the library and goes around the Grafton Common. Goodie bags will be available for children. Everyone is welcome!

Got fines? The Grafton Public Library is once again be accepting nonperishable food donations in lieu of overdue fines, now through December 31. Donations are accepted at the Library at 35 Grafton Common, Mon-Thu 10am-9pm and Fri-Sat 10am-5pm.

We ask that borrowers use their own sound judgment to make a food donation equivalent to the amount of fines owed. Food for Fines may not be applied to the costs of lost or damaged materials or other fees, such as faxing, photocopying or replacement library cards.

All contributions will go to the Grafton Food Bank. The Grafton Food Bank distributes baskets to Grafton families in need of food assistance during the holidays and throughout the year.

Non-perishable food of all kinds is needed, but especially welcome are gifts of jellies, juice, canned fruit and peanut butter. Personal toiletries, e.g. soap, toothpaste, etc, are also always needed. Donations of dented cans or items past their expiration date will not be accepted, as they may not be safe to consume, and will only have to be discarded.

We thank the public and the Library Board of Trustees for their support of this wonderful program. If overdue fines are stopping you from using your card, please take advantage of this program to bring your account current before the end of the year. During the rest of year, there are options to work off fines, replace materials at lower costs, and set up a payment plan so your card can remain in good standing.

The Grafton Public Library will CLOSE at 5 pm on Wednesday November 27, and CLOSED all day Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 in observance of Thanksgiving. The Library reopens at 10:00 am on Saturday November 30.

The Grafton Public Library will be CLOSED Monday November 11 in Observance of Veteran’s Day. Additionally, the online catalog Evergreen will be down for updating from 6 PM Friday November 8 to 7AM Tuesday November 12. Thanks for your patience!

All services requiring a library card will still work – please visit our Digital Branch to:

The Grafton Public Library is pleased to offer a new book discussion group in the library’s Main Reading Room at 35 Grafton Common on Monday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m. The “Not Just for Young Adults” Book Discussion Group is for adults who enjoy reading and talking about young adult literature.

Even though Yong Adult literature is typically about teenage characters dealing with young adult issues, adults now represent a higher percentage of the readership than ever before, accounting for 55 percent, according to Publishers Weekly (2012, Sept. 13. New Study: 55% of YA Books Bought by Adults. PublishersWeekly.com. http://www.publishersweekly.com).

So if you are part of that 55 percent or have a favorite YA novel that you just want to talk about, this group is for you! Stop by the library to sign up and check out a copy of this month’s book: Being Henry David, by Cal Armistead. Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old “Hank”, who can’t remember his identity, finds himself in Penn Station with a copy of Thoreau’s Walden as his only possession and must figure out where he’s from and why he ran away.
For more information, please contact Heidi Fowler, Reference Librarian at 508-839-4649 ext. 1102 or graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com.